1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a grasping treatment device which is configured to grasp a grasping target such as a living tissue between a distal portion of a probe and a jaw configured to open or close relative to the distal portion of the probe, and which is configured to treat the living tissue by using, for example, an ultrasonic vibration and a high-frequency current.
2. Description of the Related Art
US 2009/0270853, US 2009/0088668, and US 2008/132887 each disclose a grasping treatment device which includes a probe including a first electrode portion provided in its distal portion, and a jaw configured to open or close relative to the first electrode portion. In each of the grasping treatment devices, the probe is configured to transmit an ultrasonic vibration from a proximal direction to a distal direction, and the ultrasonic vibration is transmitted to the first electrode portion. A high-frequency current is transmitted to the first electrode portion of the probe through the probe. The probe is inserted through a sheath, and the probe is electrically insulated from the sheath. The jaw is attached to a distal portion of the sheath. The jaw includes an abutting portion configured to abut on the first electrode portion when the jaw is closed relative to the first electrode portion, and a second electrode portion having a clearance between the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion when the abutting portion is in abutment with the first electrode portion. The abutting portion of the jaw is made of an insulating material. A high-frequency current is transmitted to the second electrode portion through the sheath.
In a first treatment mode which is one treatment mode, the ultrasonic vibration is transmitted to the first electrode portion (the distal portion of the probe) when a living tissue such as a blood vessel is grasped between the first electrode portion and the jaw. At the same time, a high-frequency current is transmitted to the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion. The probe is ultrasonically vibrated while the grasping target living tissue is grasped between the first electrode portion and the jaw, and frictional heat is thereby generated between the first electrode portion and the living tissue. The living tissue is simultaneously cut open and coagulated between the first electrode portion and the jaw by the generated frictional heat. At the same time, a high-frequency current runs through the living tissue grasped between the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion. The living tissue is reformed by the high-frequency current, and the coagulation of the living tissue is accelerated. In a second treatment mode different from the first treatment mode, a high-frequency current alone is transmitted to the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion while a living tissue such as a blood vessel is grasped between the first electrode portion and the jaw. At the same time, a high-frequency current runs through the living tissue grasped between the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion, and the living tissue is only coagulated.